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Beginning today, the Japanese Government will begin issuing every resident in Japan a twelve-digit Social Security Number.

In Japan, it won’t be called “Social Security Number” in English. It’s called 「個人番号」 (こじんばんごう), which means “personal number”. It has a more commonly used nickname in English, though…「マイナンバー」 (“My Number”).

It says “Beginning October 2015, each and every person will have a ‘My Number’ delivered”

America has long had a Social Security Number system. American Social Security Numbers are nine-digits long and arranged in a three-digit, two-digit, four digit pattern (xxx-xx-xxxx).

This is a new system in Japan. The new Japanese “My Number” system will be twelve-digits long and arranged in 3 four-digit number pattern (xxxx-xxxx-xxxx).

Just as in America, everyone who lives in Japan will be issued a Social Security Card…but, unlike the American ones which simply have a person’s name, signature and the SSN, the Japanese ones will have a photo of the person, their name, address, gender and date-of-birth on the front, and the “My Number” on the back side. They will also be embedded with an IC chip.

An example of the new Japanese “My Number” cards. (Front (left): photo, name, address, gender, DOB; Back (right): 12-digit SSN)

Do you live in Japan? have you gotten you number yet?
Does your country have a Social Security Number system?

2 Responses to “My Number”

In Finland they also got this system and people usually get them if they are Finnish citizen or foreigner who work there. The number got ten digits xxxxxx-xxxx. The card has the name, gender, birthday etc and the card is also the health insurance card and you can get your medication with it from the pharmacy as the doctor will fill the prescriptions online and the card is basically also your ID for all officials documents…